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| Diplomat's Ukraine testimony 'incredibly damaging' to Trump, says House Democrat – live | Diplomat's Ukraine testimony 'incredibly damaging' to Trump, says House Democrat – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Representative Stephen Lynch, a Democratic member of the House oversight committee, said that Bill Taylor took “extensive notes” about his communications while serving as acting US ambassador to Ukraine. | |
| Amb. Taylor “indicated that he kept extensive notes on all of his correspondence,” Rep. Stephen Lynch says of testimony, without discussing details. “He’s a meticulous public servant.” | |
| A number of Democrats sitting in on Taylor’s closed-door appearance said that the longtime diplomat was the most important witness to testify in the impeachment inquiry yet. | |
| Lots of Dems, like Lieu, say Taylor’s testimony was explosive. Rep. Espaillat said this was the most important witness so far. Unanimity among Ds on this point so far. | |
| Here’s where the day stands so far: | |
| Bill Taylor is testifying behind closed doors in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Trump. The acting US ambassador to Ukraine said in a text last month that he thought it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” | |
| Trump was lambasted by many Democrats (and a much smaller number of Republicans) for comparing the impeachment probe to a “lynching.” | |
| A new poll found that half of Americans support impeaching Trump and removing him from office, marking a 13-point increase since late April. | |
| The blog will have plenty more coming up, so stay tuned. | |
| Another Democratic member of the House foreign affairs committee, Andy Levin of Michigan, described Bill Taylor’s testimony as “very troubling.” | |
| Levin said of the acting US ambassador to Ukraine’s comments: “All I have to say is that in my 10 short months in Congress – it’s not even noon, right – and this is my most disturbing day in Congress so far. Very troubling.” | |
| Meanwhile, one of Levin’s colleagues defended Taylor’s reputation against potential smears from Trump’s allies. | |
| Ambassador Bill Taylor is a graduate of West Point. He served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne. He is an American patriot. He understands duty, honor, country. https://t.co/aT4YV3ATeR | |
| Meanwhile, representative Mark Meadows, a Republican member of the House oversight committee and a close ally of Trump’s, joked that Bill Taylor’s interview could go on for much longer. | Meanwhile, representative Mark Meadows, a Republican member of the House oversight committee and a close ally of Trump’s, joked that Bill Taylor’s interview could go on for much longer. |
| Asked how much longer today’s Taylor deposition will go, @RepMarkMeadows tells us: “y’all have plans for the weekend?” | Asked how much longer today’s Taylor deposition will go, @RepMarkMeadows tells us: “y’all have plans for the weekend?” |
| The acting US ambassador to Ukraine started his testimony for House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry about three hours ago. | The acting US ambassador to Ukraine started his testimony for House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry about three hours ago. |
| The opening statement from Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, to the three House committees leading the impeachment inquiry solicited “sighs and gasps,” according to a Politico reporter. | The opening statement from Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, to the three House committees leading the impeachment inquiry solicited “sighs and gasps,” according to a Politico reporter. |
| New: Per source in the room, Bill Taylor’s opening statement was 15 pages long and prompted “a lot of sighs and gasps.” | New: Per source in the room, Bill Taylor’s opening statement was 15 pages long and prompted “a lot of sighs and gasps.” |
| The opening statements from Maria Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, were quickly leaked to the press, so it’s likely the same will occur with Taylor’s statement. | The opening statements from Maria Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, were quickly leaked to the press, so it’s likely the same will occur with Taylor’s statement. |
| A Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, condemned Trump’s use of the term “lynching” to describe House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. | A Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, condemned Trump’s use of the term “lynching” to describe House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. |
| “Lynching” brings back images of a terrible time in our nation’s history, and the President never should have made that comparison. | “Lynching” brings back images of a terrible time in our nation’s history, and the President never should have made that comparison. |
| Collins’ tweet appears to be one of the most forceful criticisms yet from Republicans, as other GOP lawmakers have simply said that they did not “agree” with Trump’s usage of the term. | Collins’ tweet appears to be one of the most forceful criticisms yet from Republicans, as other GOP lawmakers have simply said that they did not “agree” with Trump’s usage of the term. |
| Representative Ted Lieu, a Democratic member of the House foreign affairs committee, just emerged from the closed-door interview with Bill Taylor and said the acting US ambassador to Ukraine’s testimony was “incredibly damaging to the president.” | Representative Ted Lieu, a Democratic member of the House foreign affairs committee, just emerged from the closed-door interview with Bill Taylor and said the acting US ambassador to Ukraine’s testimony was “incredibly damaging to the president.” |
| LIEU just emerged and described Taylor’s testimony as “incredibly damaging to the president.” Wouldn’t provide specifics. He said questioning of the witness has begun. | LIEU just emerged and described Taylor’s testimony as “incredibly damaging to the president.” Wouldn’t provide specifics. He said questioning of the witness has begun. |
| CNN reported earlier today that Taylor intended to use his testimony to fill in some of the gaps surrounding his 9 September text message, in which he said it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” | CNN reported earlier today that Taylor intended to use his testimony to fill in some of the gaps surrounding his 9 September text message, in which he said it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” |
| Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who has repeatedly criticized Trump in the past, denounced the president’s use of the term “lynching” to describe House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. | Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who has repeatedly criticized Trump in the past, denounced the president’s use of the term “lynching” to describe House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. |
| Steele also chastised Lindsey Graham after the South Carolina senator echoed Trump’s use of the term and said the impeachment probe is “a lynching in every sense.” | Steele also chastised Lindsey Graham after the South Carolina senator echoed Trump’s use of the term and said the impeachment probe is “a lynching in every sense.” |
| @realDonaldTrump and @LindseyGrahamSC this is a lynching. Trump this is not happening to you and it’s pathetic that you act like you’re such a victim; but it did happen to 147 black people in your state Lindsey. “A lynching in every sense”? You should know better. pic.twitter.com/RQNQaOaLsd | @realDonaldTrump and @LindseyGrahamSC this is a lynching. Trump this is not happening to you and it’s pathetic that you act like you’re such a victim; but it did happen to 147 black people in your state Lindsey. “A lynching in every sense”? You should know better. pic.twitter.com/RQNQaOaLsd |
| However, Graham does not appear to be changing his stance at all, insisting that the inquiry is a “political lynching” and refusing to comment on the racist implications of Trump’s comment. | However, Graham does not appear to be changing his stance at all, insisting that the inquiry is a “political lynching” and refusing to comment on the racist implications of Trump’s comment. |
| “If [the word] lynching bothers you, I’m sorry... it’s literally a political lynching,” Sen. Graham tells reporters. I asked him to reflect on the racial dynamics of the word and he sharply dismissed the question. | “If [the word] lynching bothers you, I’m sorry... it’s literally a political lynching,” Sen. Graham tells reporters. I asked him to reflect on the racial dynamics of the word and he sharply dismissed the question. |
| Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democratic member of the House intelligence committee, said in a tweet that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, asked Trump at one point: “What do you want from Ukraine?” | Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democratic member of the House intelligence committee, said in a tweet that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, asked Trump at one point: “What do you want from Ukraine?” |
| Reality check: The Ambassador called you and asked broadly, “what do you want from Ukraine?” With a guilty conscience, you repeated, “no quid pro quo.” Problem: He didn’t ask you if there was a quid pro quo. You just happened to know there was one. https://t.co/Tf9WWjS3JL | Reality check: The Ambassador called you and asked broadly, “what do you want from Ukraine?” With a guilty conscience, you repeated, “no quid pro quo.” Problem: He didn’t ask you if there was a quid pro quo. You just happened to know there was one. https://t.co/Tf9WWjS3JL |
| Sondland testified in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry last week and may have shared this detail with the investigating lawmakers behind closed doors, but the transcript of his appearance has not been publicly released. | Sondland testified in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry last week and may have shared this detail with the investigating lawmakers behind closed doors, but the transcript of his appearance has not been publicly released. |
| After Bill Taylor said in a text message last month that he thought it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” Sondland replied: “Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind.” | After Bill Taylor said in a text message last month that he thought it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” Sondland replied: “Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind.” |
| However, reports later emerged that Sondland only sent his “no quid pro quo” message after speaking to Trump. | However, reports later emerged that Sondland only sent his “no quid pro quo” message after speaking to Trump. |
| The King Center, which honors the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, just tweeted out these facts about lynching after Trump used the term to describe the impeachment inquiry. | The King Center, which honors the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, just tweeted out these facts about lynching after Trump used the term to describe the impeachment inquiry. |
| “More than 4400 African American men, women, and children were hanged, burned alive, shot, drowned, and beaten to death by white mobs between 1877 and 1950.” ~@MemPeaceJustice https://t.co/qGmK6VFwCw#LynchingMemorial #Lynching @realDonaldTrump @POTUS | “More than 4400 African American men, women, and children were hanged, burned alive, shot, drowned, and beaten to death by white mobs between 1877 and 1950.” ~@MemPeaceJustice https://t.co/qGmK6VFwCw#LynchingMemorial #Lynching @realDonaldTrump @POTUS |
| A White House spokesperson defended Trump’s use of the word “lynching” to describe the impeachment inquiry by arguing that the president was not making a historical comparison. | A White House spokesperson defended Trump’s use of the word “lynching” to describe the impeachment inquiry by arguing that the president was not making a historical comparison. |
| .@hogangidley45 on lynching tweet: "the president has used many words, all types of language, to talk about the way the media has treated him" and "the president wasn't trying to compare himself to the horrific history in this country at all" | .@hogangidley45 on lynching tweet: "the president has used many words, all types of language, to talk about the way the media has treated him" and "the president wasn't trying to compare himself to the horrific history in this country at all" |
| This explanation seems highly questionable, given that the word “lynching” has almost exclusively been applied to the thousands of people (most of them African American) who were murdered in the late 19th and early 20th century. | This explanation seems highly questionable, given that the word “lynching” has almost exclusively been applied to the thousands of people (most of them African American) who were murdered in the late 19th and early 20th century. |
| It seems virtually impossible that Trump is unaware of this history, particularly given that the Senate passed a bill last year to make lynching a hate crime. The president has not yet signed the legislation. | It seems virtually impossible that Trump is unaware of this history, particularly given that the Senate passed a bill last year to make lynching a hate crime. The president has not yet signed the legislation. |
| notably, there was a unanimous Senate voice vote last year which defined lynching as part of a bill that would have officially made it a hate crime (which the president has not signed): https://t.co/o4bpXMWI44 pic.twitter.com/vAY0e43k9I | notably, there was a unanimous Senate voice vote last year which defined lynching as part of a bill that would have officially made it a hate crime (which the president has not signed): https://t.co/o4bpXMWI44 pic.twitter.com/vAY0e43k9I |
| Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine who is currently speaking to House members for Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Trump, was reportedly subpoenaed for his testimony. | Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine who is currently speaking to House members for Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Trump, was reportedly subpoenaed for his testimony. |
| In light of an attempt by the State Dept to direct Ambassador Taylor not to appear for his scheduled deposition + efforts by the State Dept to also limit any testimony that does occur, the House Intel Cmte issued a subpoena to compel his testimony this morning per official | In light of an attempt by the State Dept to direct Ambassador Taylor not to appear for his scheduled deposition + efforts by the State Dept to also limit any testimony that does occur, the House Intel Cmte issued a subpoena to compel his testimony this morning per official |
| Other officials who have spoken to the three House committees leading the inquiry have similarly been subpoenaed – including Taylor’s predecessor, Maria Yovanovitch. | Other officials who have spoken to the three House committees leading the inquiry have similarly been subpoenaed – including Taylor’s predecessor, Maria Yovanovitch. |
| Senator Tim Scott, the only African American Republican serving in the Senate, offered this muted criticism of Trump’s use of the term “lynching” to describe the impeachment inquiry. | Senator Tim Scott, the only African American Republican serving in the Senate, offered this muted criticism of Trump’s use of the term “lynching” to describe the impeachment inquiry. |
| Sen TIM SCOTT on Pres Trump comparing the impeachment inquiry to a lynching: “There’s no question that the impeachment process is the closet thing to a political death row trial, so I get his absolute rejection of the process. I wouldn’t use the word lynching.” | Sen TIM SCOTT on Pres Trump comparing the impeachment inquiry to a lynching: “There’s no question that the impeachment process is the closet thing to a political death row trial, so I get his absolute rejection of the process. I wouldn’t use the word lynching.” |